News

Monica R. Martinez for New York's 4th Senate District

Oct
24
2022

When Monica R. Martinez served previously in the State Senate, she developed a reputation for being an independent voice who could detour from her own party's path and who, on a very granular level, understood the needs of her constituents.

This year's redistricting has reshaped the area the Brentwood Democrat would represent. But after a hard-fought primary, Martinez, 45, is making the case that she can be the same independent representative for a new set of communities, saying she still has "work to do."| read more ››

Susan Berland for New York's 2nd Senate District

Oct
24
2022

Timing is everything.

Susan Berland says that it "wasn't the plan" for her to run for State Senate; her candidacy emerged after redistricting and outgoing Sen. James Gaughran's decision not to run. But the Dix Hills Democrat has picked the right time to make a bid for Albany.| read more ››

Suffolk Sheriff Errol Toulon Jr. Joins Fighting Chance Board

Oct
23
2022

Suffolk County Sheriff Errol Toulon Jr. was appointed to the board of directors of Fighting Chance, a Sag Harbor-based nonprofit that provides free professional counseling services to cancer patients and caregivers on the East End.

He will be able to share unique insights as a two-time cancer survivor, having successfully battled Hodgkin’s lymphoma and pancreatic cancer.

“This is known as peer-to-peer counseling, and we see this as an area where Sheriff Toulon can make an exceptionally valuable contribution,” said Duncan Darrow, who founded Fighting Chance in 2002 and serves as its chairman.| read more ››

Letitia A. James for New York's attorney general

Oct
22
2022

Letitia A. James is a talented politician. Her terrific interpersonal skills, keen eye for the camera and ear for messaging, and a preternatural instinct for navigating the state’s cutthroat politics have served her well. Leveraging her base in Brooklyn and her background as a public defender, she won a seat on the New York City Council, and then, as the city’s public advocate, springboarded herself to statewide office. In 2018, she became the first woman and Black attorney general.

Unfortunately, these instincts generally have not served her well in her first term. But overall, she has been capable and effective.

Only the naive would believe that politics can be scrubbed from one of the most powerful offices in the state....| read more ››

Bridget M. Fleming for New York's 1st Congressional District

Oct
20
2022

New York’s 1st Congressional District is perennially considered one of New York’s — and the nation’s — real swing regions. It is a place of contrasts, between hard right and deep blue, between Hamptons wealth and people striving at the poverty line. In its current configuration, it stretches from the easternmost forks of Long Island to the Nassau County line. It includes farmland, town and village centers desperately in need of housing, and miles and miles of pristine yet endangered coast.

With Rep. Lee Zeldin running for governor, CD1 this year is home to an open race and even more potential than usual for a competitive contest, featuring two qualified, experienced candidates.

They are Bridget M. Fleming, a former prosecutor...| read more ››

Kathy C. Hochul for New York governor

Oct
15
2022

Shortly after Kathy C. Hochul took office 14 months ago, it became clear that New York's first woman governor would have to face multiple state crises in short order. Continuing fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic, declining revenue from a sprawling transit system, housing shortages, sharing the burden of migrants crossing faraway borders, and a disturbing uptick in violence of different kinds all greeted her.

Hochul rose to the office by succession after Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, elected three times, resigned last year facing impeachment. She quickly moved to meet several political and governmental challenges in a credible way.

Now Hochul seeks a first elected term, and has moderate and pragmatic plans at the ready that encourage us to support her bid.| read more ››

Fred Thiele for New York's 1st Assembly District

Oct
11
2022

Includes North and South Forks, Shelter Island, part of southeast Brookhaven

Fred W. Thiele Jr. has been a fount of legislation since joining the Assembly in 1995, focusing on issues that affect both his East End district and the region in general.

Thiele, 69, of Sag Harbor, was the architect of a bill to fund badly-needed affordable housing programs in the five East End towns. Modeled on his wildly successful Community Preservation Fund, which uses a 2% tax on real estate transfers to preserve land and protect water quality, the new program would levy an additional half-percent real estate transfer tax. Residents in East Hampton, Southampton, and Southold will vote in November on whether to establish such programs in their towns. They should.| read more ››

Steven Englebright for New York's 4th Assembly District

Oct
11
2022

Includes much of Northwest Brookhaven

This November marks a pivotal moment for Steven Englebright. Beyond his bid for another term in the Assembly he joined in 1992, the Setauket Democrat is fighting for approval of the Clean Air, Clean Water and Green Jobs Bond Act, also on this fall's ballot.

Englebright, chair of the chamber's environmental conservation committee, has many such worthy goals on his agenda.| read more ››

Steve Stern for New York's 10th Assembly District

Oct
11
2022

Includes central section and most of south sections of Town of Huntington and a small section of central east of Town of Oyster Bay

Steve E. Stern understands the needs of his district and the region. And he's willing to lead on both.

The Dix Hills Democrat rightly spotlights improvements to sewer infrastructure in Huntington Station and the need for a new academic building at Farmingdale State College. He also wants to ease the region's building permitting process and allow small businesses to create tax-deferred savings accounts to store income for future needs.| read more ››

Kimberly Jean-Pierre for New York's 11th Assembly District

Oct
11
2022

Includes parts north west down through the south west section of Town of Babylon and small section of south east section of Town of Oyster Bay

Running for a fourth term, Kimberly Jean-Pierre, 36, a Democrat from Wheatley Heights, knows the specific needs of her constituents.

Jean-Pierre is helping to make communities accessible with legislation to combat housing inequality. Her housing discrimination law increases penalties against real estate brokers and creates statewide standards on the prerequisites prospective homebuyers must meet to receive services. She has also secured $20 million in capital funding for public library construction and expansion statewide, focusing on digital equity needs for various communities.

Christopher Sperber, 37, a Republican from West Babylon, a former court officer working...| read more ››